GPS miscue gets Schier’s going in a new direction

When Harry Morningstar Jr. hired a strategic marketing company to help his furniture business in July 2013, he expected sound advice.

Possibly a makeover to his website, some direction on advertising and maybe even some tips on his merchandise was what he initially had in mind.

Instead, the local furniture owner got a “cold splash” of constructive criticism.

“I was told by the marketing company that they couldn’t give us advice until we told them how we do business. It was kind of a revelation,” Morningstar said. “It got us off to a venture of changes.”

In less than a year, Morningstar reacted to suggestions by converting his warehouse into a new store, changing the name of his stores, adopting a whole different line of merchandise and even renaming a street.

The biggest change resulted in Morningstar’s newest location, Schier’s Furniture Lifestyles, which opened in December 2014 at 37 W. Main St. in his former warehouse.

“We agreed that this warehouse could be converted into a store with a very modest budget,” said Morningstar, who credited grant money from Mainstreet Waynesboro as a major help to the project.

“To have this prime location along the alley way and right in the heart of the downtown district is a great benefit to the downtown and to Harry’s expanding business,” Mainstreet Waynesboro director of economic development Scott Hershberger said.

The store joined the Schier’s family of stores which also includes the location on Schier’s Way, formerly Alley No. 1, and in Chambersburg off U.S. 30.

How do you do business?

Morningstar gathered his family and employees at the Waynesboro store to meet with the High Rock marketing company.

He recalls the phone ringing several times while they waited for the group to show up.

“I remember saying ‘let’s not answer the phones because I want to give these people the attention they need,’” Morningstar said.

After nearly 30 minutes past the appointment time, High Rock’s consultants made their way into Schier’s Furniture.

“When they came in, they were pretty anxious and they said, “how do you guys do business?’” said Morningstar, who remembers being taken back by the first question.

The marketing consultants continued by explaining that they set their GPS navigation system to find Schier’s Furniture, but were directed to the front of the warehouse where they nearly “dislocated their shoulders” in attempt to enter the building, according to Morningstar. They continued to drive around for 30 minutes before finding the store.

“You aren’t where you say you are,” Morningstar was told. “How do people find you?”

Morningstar explained that the GPS picked up the company’s mailing address which led them to the warehouse.

High Rock cited several other key points and questions that triggered the makeover.

“Battling the big box stores has always been the challenge for family-owned furniture businesses,” Morningstar explained.

“The chain stores are goliaths, you can’t arm wrestle with them, you need to be David,” Morningstar said. “You just have to find something very special and our goal was to find something unique.”

Changes

The misdirection and confusion of that July 2013 morning prompted Morningstar into thinking about an easier-to-find location.

According to High Rock, Schier’s was marketing to a more mature crowd and most of those people knew where to find the furniture store. They also pointed out that the younger generation uses GPS, which could present the same future problems High Rock encountered.

Not only did Morningstar begin renovating his warehouse, he had to completely rethink what would be sold in the new store.

The result was Furniture Styles, a modern and trendy line up of furniture that promotes a young vibe.

“Most of the money being spent is by a younger crowd and first-time home buyers,” said Morningstar, who changed every piece of merchandise in each of his stores.

He then renamed his Chambersburg business Schier’s Furniture Interiors.

Morningstar wasn’t finished there as he approached Waynesboro Borough Council and was successful in changing Alley No. 1 which runs between the two stores, into Schier’s Way.

“It’s been a long and winding road,” Morningstar said.

“We are trying to put Franklin County on the map in the home furniture business, with Schier’s Furniture,” he said.

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